AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation’s Development Committee meeting was chaired by Mr. Avijit Paul at the Football House in New Delhi, on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

AIFF Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran and Deputy Secretary General Mr. Sunando Dhar were present at the meeting, along with Deputy Chairman of the Development Committee Mr. Mulrajsinh Chudasama, and Committee Members Mr. Vijay Bali, Mr. Ratankumar Singh Moirangthem, Mr. S. Dhanasegar, Mr. Muhammed Rafeek TKM, and Mr. Liaqat Ali. Two Committee Members, Mr. Jesiah Villavarayar and Mr. Mohd. Shahid, were granted leave of absence.

The Development Committee recommended, in it’s first order of the day, that an annual financial support of Rs 24 lakhs be provided to each State Association under the banner of the AIFF. This financial assistance may be utilised by the State Associations for their Women’s and Men’s Leagues, Youth Leagues, office space, equipment, and Grassroots development.

The Committee also suggested that the AIFF provide support to each State Association in the appointment of two key personnel for each state to hire their respective Administration Heads and Technical Coordinators. The State FAs may use these grants for the appointment of other personnel, if they have already hired full-time personnel in these posts.

A three-member committee, comprising of Mr. Mulrajsinh Chudasama, Mr. Vijay Bali, and Mr. Ratankumar Singh Moirangthem, has been formed to devise the criteria for the grants to the committee, and come out with a policy on how the funds will be distributed and utilised by the states. The Committee has been asked to submit it’s report by November 15, 2022.

The Committee recommended that each state strategise and develop it’s own strategic roadmap once the AIFF’s roadmap is finalised. A ‘Brother States Programme’ was also suggested by the Committee where the states that are doing well would lend support to more than one states in the areas of governance, development, leagues, grassroots, and so on.

In order to popularise the state leagues and the state youth leagues, the Development Committee suggested that the FIFA+ platform be used for live streaming. The AIFF will have a larger partnership with FIFA+ where the state competitions will be highlighted to the global audience. The states will, thus, have the possibility to generate revenues and develop football and highlight the activities to the general audience.

“It is a historic day for Indian football, and I can proudly say that the Development Committee has for the first time come up with definite plans of funding for the State Associations. I am sure with this support, we can encourage the states to take football to a new level,” said Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran. “Extending the funds is one thing, but we must make sure everything is done in a structured and systematic way. The priority is to see that every State Association functions optimally. Each state will have it’s own strategic roadmap. There are different aspects to each state, and they all need different plans. We are ready to work with each state to develop football across the country.”